The never ending to do-list of crafts

One thing life has taught me: if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you! When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else.Eleanor Roosevelt

I don’t like the length of the list of things I could do craft wise right now. It’s just crazy. Like finishing the felted eggs, sew on the pink quilt, crochet another amigurumi, make a coin purse with the thrifted handle I showed you recently (and again here) or sew a patchwork scarf with the soft fleece fabric? Do anyone else have lists like this floating around inside the brain? It can’t be just me, right?

It’s not a strange thing I don’t get much writing done when these projects are spread around my begging me to “do something”…

This is a unusual post for me to write, but I thought I’d give it a try. I’m blogging about the things I haven’t done yet! Usually I show you a finished piece that moving from the pile of UFO’s (unfinished objects) to the FO pile. But then I’ve been looking through this unpacked box from the last move, and it’s filled with materials and projects that I’ve started and then hid away from sight.

I’m not really interested in knitting any of these sweaters (see below) any more, but they are there taking up room, both in my mind and in the box… Maybe I should just finish one of them and not worry? Or frog and sell the yarn? What do you think? I’m not listing all of the things I want to do, have started or want to finish soon here, these are just from the box (!!).

Let’s have a vote? Which projects should I start with? List 2 or 3 in your preferred order and tell me why I should “start to finish” those please!

I need your help!

1. Started knitting this thing in cotton for summer.

2. Never used embroidery kit with roses. Love the roses, hate the color on the yarn that came with the kit. I need to see if I could do this with knitting wool in more fun colors and maybe exchange the background color too? I don’t think I want it black. Hm…

3. Felted red sweater that is super thick and sturdy. I want to sew something with it, maybe a bag but I can’t decide on how to do it.

4. Another project “on the needles”. This was started 2006 I think? It’s supposed to become a sweater…

5. An IKEA frame and a plastic canvas that are meant to be put together into a papermaking frame. I so want to make paper but I haven’t yet.

6. Striped stretch jersey in different colors that I want to make into one or more t-shirts for me! It’s been on my mind since I bought it but I haven’t done it yet either.
The biggest problem is not that all of these projects take up actual space or that they occupy my brain. The biggest problem is when the list keeps on building it creates stress inside of me and I don’t like that. Sometimes it feels like these little projects (and one thousand other) are calling me with soft but firm voices; Hanna, come spend time with us… don’t be a lazy girl… do you love us? :-) Evil projects huh? And no, it’s not in my brain. They are actually calling me to finish them and they will not let me rest!

Oh and last night in front of the TV I did cast on for a cap I want to knit on circular needles. And I also have a pair of socks, a couple of centimeter of a mitten and one or five other things brewing.

Where would you start? With a coffee right? I think I will have one right now.

May my projects rest in peace until their time does come. Bless ya all!

I’d definitely start with the coffee! That’s the sane way to approach this problem… I have a bazillion half finished knitting projects. I go in spurts with my knitting. But the unfinished things sit there and nag at me. I’m thinking of unraveling a few half finished projects that no longer interest me.

These days I’m more likely on a photo expedition than sitting and knitting.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Yours is great. You have so many great creative ideas.

I like the idea of making a bag with that felted red sweater, and that would only take an afternoon. It might look nice with something fun embroidered on the front, too. I also like the idea of that embroidery kit using different colours…but maybe that’s because I’ve been wanting to do embroidery later :)

I’ve been where you are now, Hanna, and I know how it feels. Here’s what worked for me: I looked at my to-do list and sorted everything into categories, depending on which projects I liked the best or wanted most to finish and which ones I had lost interest in for the time being. I put away all the ones in the second category, to revisit at another time. “Out of sight, out of (your busy) mind.” Then I considered my priorities on the remaining projects, putting the ones I was still really excited about at the top. I was surprised at how quickly I worked through those. Now when I add new things to do, I consider where they fit in my priorities, sometimes based on when I need to do them for a show or a book, but mostly on which ones I’m most excited about. I was surprised to learn that not all projects are worth finishing and I stopped being a “compulsive finisher.”

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t start the embroidery kit because, well, it’s untouched and you don’t seem to like much about it except the roses. You could always try to sell it to someone else and wait until you find another kit which you like even better.

Maybe you should start by the cotton summer thing first? Seeing as summer will be here in a matter of months (then you’d be able to wear it _this_ summer!)

I don’t even want to think about my crafty to-do list. I have a cross-stitched piece that’s been unfinished in a drawer for 5 years now. And it’s been whispering my name lately… Grr! And beautiful funky yarn that’s been waiting for at least 2 years to be turned into something useful.

I should be able to send you a package next week (if I can get the right sized box, finally.)

I think I would try to use two projects in one, double effect ! Like : make a bag with the red felted sweater and embroider roses on it, or make the lining with striped fabric, see the idea ? This is what works best for me ! Also, you could just take time to watch spring, don’t know for you, but here it’s coming and blooming !!!

I have felt this way many times. I recently took a short break from even thinking about it. My mind gets carried away with me until I am in some kind of unreal world that is much worse than the actual projects I have in front of me! Thinking too much can definitely freak you out!

I’d say make the paper frame first. It’s relatively easier, and that way, you can make paper when you feel like it, and not have something you have to do FIRST before you make paper! Then, I think I’d felt the red sweater, because felting is kind of a mindless exercise and when it’s done, you can then start planning your bag! These things that are the first steps to other things can help to free your mind up a bit and get you looking forward to something.

That’s just my two cents worth. Now, I have to go get started on one of the FIVE things I have to get done this month!

You have my sympathy. So much I want to do, but so little time. This is just how I feel all the time, with projects all around me just waiting to be started, finished, or changed. At least we’re never bored! It’s a blessing. And coffee is always a good start.

Last year I had a thick felted red sweater that ended up as hearts. Big potholder-hearts, and some smaller ones that I embroidered with silver threads and pearls. They looked good in my windows for christmas:) But you make lovely bags, so why not give it a try.

(I’m behind on blograding/commenting,sorry)
I’m in the same spot on a red felted sweater (two actually) and a series of picture frames waiting to become papermaking screens. The latter had been waiting on me to get a staplegun, but I got one of those in December so it’s just waiting on me to figure out where I put the screening material…

So I vote for those two, because seeing you do those might inspire me to do the same :)

I too have a really huge long list of crafts to do, projects to make, people to make things for, etc!

One time I gave away some unfinished projects to the Salvation Army. It was a great relief! If the momentum to finish something leaves me, I know I’m not going to go back and finish it and it just weighs on me. With some things, like knitting, I have to do small projects only.